Gävlebocken 2016 - The Goat Stands Again
November 24, 2016 11:23 AM Subscribe
Over the past 12 hours or so the world's favorite flammable object, the Gävle Goat, has been assembled again in Sweden. Watch the 24-hour live cam, or follow him on twitter or Instagram. Will the goat survive until New Year's Day?
Previously, previouslier, more previouslier,
Previously, previouslier, more previouslier,
All Hail the Yule Goat!!!
posted by GenjiandProust at 11:44 AM on November 24, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 11:44 AM on November 24, 2016 [2 favorites]
🔥🐐🔥🐐🔥🐐🔥🐐🔥🐐🔥🐐🔥🐐🔥🐐🔥🐐🔥🐐🔥🐐🔥
posted by beerbajay at 11:58 AM on November 24, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by beerbajay at 11:58 AM on November 24, 2016 [8 favorites]
Gävle Goat is totally hygge mys, right up until it's not.
posted by Kabanos at 12:04 PM on November 24, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Kabanos at 12:04 PM on November 24, 2016 [2 favorites]
Looking at the list on Wikipedia, I believe the arsonists of 2005 are winning so far:
Burnt by unknown vandals reportedly dressed as Santa and the gingerbread man, by shooting a flaming arrow at the goat.Honorable mention should go to 2009:
The goat had two online webcams which were put out of service by a DoS attack, instigated by computer hackers just before the burning.posted by Dr Dracator at 12:26 PM on November 24, 2016 [12 favorites]
Hurrah - and I am glad you linked to the Wikipedia page. It was because of the editing 'war' with that page that I got disillusioned with, and stopped editing, Wikipedia. Someone with more editorial powers took it upon himself to insist on the annual goat happening not being listed in a table, but to be described in difficult to read prose - and to be a patronising arse in his reasoning. Everyone else (see the talk page) said this was a crap idea.
However, happy ending: after a few years, he appears to have thankfully disappeared off Wikipedia and sense - and a table of annual 'what happened to the goat' - had prevailed.
posted by Wordshore at 12:33 PM on November 24, 2016 [11 favorites]
However, happy ending: after a few years, he appears to have thankfully disappeared off Wikipedia and sense - and a table of annual 'what happened to the goat' - had prevailed.
posted by Wordshore at 12:33 PM on November 24, 2016 [11 favorites]
Wordshore: Yes! All we need now is for the phrase "1976 Local raggare ran the goat over with a car" to be resurrected!
posted by soundofsuburbia at 12:58 PM on November 24, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by soundofsuburbia at 12:58 PM on November 24, 2016 [3 favorites]
AT LAST
posted by poffin boffin at 1:36 PM on November 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by poffin boffin at 1:36 PM on November 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
2005 is clearly the best. But I'm biased.
Here's to the goat's survival! Long may he last!
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:44 PM on November 24, 2016
Here's to the goat's survival! Long may he last!
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:44 PM on November 24, 2016
I showed this to my ex-housemate. Her response:
"It's 2016. Check the webcam first thing tomorrow morning. Pile of smouldering ash."
I, on the other hand, have hope and faith, and am willing the goat to last longer than President-elect thingie.
posted by Wordshore at 1:49 PM on November 24, 2016 [3 favorites]
"It's 2016. Check the webcam first thing tomorrow morning. Pile of smouldering ash."
I, on the other hand, have hope and faith, and am willing the goat to last longer than President-elect thingie.
posted by Wordshore at 1:49 PM on November 24, 2016 [3 favorites]
I love the terse description of 2011’s destruction in the Wikipedia article:
- Sprayed with water to create a coating of ice.
- Mild weather resulted in the protective ice melting.
There were three attempts in 2014! Not while I was watching and I was watching a lot, just hoping to get a glimpse of the goat in daylight. Also I think burning it down after Christmas (2015) is cheating.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 4:46 PM on November 24, 2016
posted by TWinbrook8 at 4:46 PM on November 24, 2016
I predict drone strike this year.
posted by Kabanos at 5:37 PM on November 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Kabanos at 5:37 PM on November 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
Having the goat pop up on my Twitter feed is the true start of Christmas for me. And, this year a sign that 2016 will soon be over.
posted by jazon at 7:49 PM on November 24, 2016
posted by jazon at 7:49 PM on November 24, 2016
Oh boy, Gävle! That's where I'm a Viking!
posted by ActingTheGoat at 10:37 PM on November 24, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by ActingTheGoat at 10:37 PM on November 24, 2016 [6 favorites]
I predict drone strike this year.
I predict that the populace of Gävle will elect to burn down the Goat.
posted by flabdablet at 10:40 PM on November 24, 2016 [9 favorites]
I predict that the populace of Gävle will elect to burn down the Goat.
posted by flabdablet at 10:40 PM on November 24, 2016 [9 favorites]
HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS WONDROUS THING?
Also I'm glad 3AM is good for something, because it's apparently good to watch the finishing touches being placed on a giant straw goat on the other side of the world live.
posted by threeturtles at 1:14 AM on November 25, 2016
Also I'm glad 3AM is good for something, because it's apparently good to watch the finishing touches being placed on a giant straw goat on the other side of the world live.
posted by threeturtles at 1:14 AM on November 25, 2016
I can't believe none of y'all have mentioned it's his 50th birthday this year. You can send your birthday wish.
posted by threeturtles at 1:20 AM on November 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by threeturtles at 1:20 AM on November 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
If it were my 50th birthday, I'd prefer to celebrate it by not being set on fire.
posted by sebastienbailard at 3:41 AM on November 25, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by sebastienbailard at 3:41 AM on November 25, 2016 [7 favorites]
Oh boy, Gävle! That's where I'm a Viking!
posted by ActingTheGoat
Please be careful about how closely you act like this goat. A protective cost of ice is impractical, but the alternative is possibly worse...
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:30 AM on November 25, 2016
posted by ActingTheGoat
Please be careful about how closely you act like this goat. A protective cost of ice is impractical, but the alternative is possibly worse...
posted by GenjiandProust at 8:30 AM on November 25, 2016
I'm so confused who to root for. Do i cheer the goat, or the arsonists?
posted by BlueHorse at 10:27 AM on November 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by BlueHorse at 10:27 AM on November 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
I cheer for the goat. It's a temporary, stationary flammable target. It will go away on its own given the passage of a few weeks. Anyone who wants to burn it down feels, to me, like the Nordic equivalent of rednecks shooting shotguns at roadsigns along rural roadways.
posted by hippybear at 10:58 AM on November 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 10:58 AM on November 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
BlueHorse, I have no idea who to root for. I want the goat to survive but the attempts are so dann funny....
posted by jenfullmoon at 5:55 PM on November 25, 2016
posted by jenfullmoon at 5:55 PM on November 25, 2016
I'm ardently pro arsonist. In pagan times we sacrificed the living blood to make the sun come back, now we destroy the goat in effigy. It's the dance between the darkness of winter and the fiery return of the light.
It's metal as fuck, what I'm saying here.
posted by Jilder at 8:21 PM on November 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
It's metal as fuck, what I'm saying here.
posted by Jilder at 8:21 PM on November 25, 2016 [5 favorites]
2010: "a Swedish news site reported that one of the guards tasked with protecting the Southern Merchants' goat had been offered payment to leave his post so that the goat could be stolen via helicopter and transported to Stockholm."
I would pay to see this heist movie.
posted by deludingmyself at 10:04 PM on November 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
I would pay to see this heist movie.
posted by deludingmyself at 10:04 PM on November 25, 2016 [4 favorites]
Somehow I'd been hearing about this for years and just now learned that it's not supposed to be burnt in effigy. I assumed that was the point. (Maybe it is.)
posted by capricorn at 12:03 PM on November 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by capricorn at 12:03 PM on November 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
What's that thing and why is it blocking the view?
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 1:26 PM on November 26, 2016
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 1:26 PM on November 26, 2016
Never mind.
NOTE! Limited visibility of Gavle Goat via webcam because of the stage building facing 50th årskalaset. Visit Gävle Karlstad Facebook to see the party live. The scene dismantled Sunday night and the webcam will return to normal view
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 1:30 PM on November 26, 2016
NOTE! Limited visibility of Gavle Goat via webcam because of the stage building facing 50th årskalaset. Visit Gävle Karlstad Facebook to see the party live. The scene dismantled Sunday night and the webcam will return to normal view
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 1:30 PM on November 26, 2016
And the goat has been burned down already.
That was fast!
posted by hippybear at 2:16 PM on November 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
That was fast!
posted by hippybear at 2:16 PM on November 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
SOL INVICTUS! SOL INVICTUS!
posted by Jilder at 2:38 PM on November 27, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Jilder at 2:38 PM on November 27, 2016 [3 favorites]
God damn it 2016! Can't you spare even one source of joy and happiness?
posted by jazon at 3:08 PM on November 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by jazon at 3:08 PM on November 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
NO, 2016 CANNOT SPARE ANYTHING. ALL APOCALYPSE MUST HAPPEN NOW.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:47 PM on November 27, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:47 PM on November 27, 2016 [3 favorites]
My previous comment on here:
I showed this to my ex-housemate. Her response:
"It's 2016. Check the webcam first thing tomorrow morning. Pile of smouldering ash."
I, on the other hand, have hope and faith, and am willing the goat to last longer than President-elect thingie.
Have just received an email from the ex-housemate. It will remain unopened.
posted by Wordshore at 2:47 AM on November 28, 2016 [5 favorites]
I showed this to my ex-housemate. Her response:
"It's 2016. Check the webcam first thing tomorrow morning. Pile of smouldering ash."
I, on the other hand, have hope and faith, and am willing the goat to last longer than President-elect thingie.
Have just received an email from the ex-housemate. It will remain unopened.
posted by Wordshore at 2:47 AM on November 28, 2016 [5 favorites]
Sweden's Christmas goat burned down on opening day:
In September, local politicians said they would try to have a ‘goat guarantee’ that it would survive its first weekend of the 2016 festive season. A number of high-tech security cameras were bought to try and protect it, yet they were unable to detect the goat burner.
“They only recognize movement within the alarm zone, inside the fencing. Here, someone stood outside and threw a Molotov cocktail,” Wallberg explained.
posted by Wordshore at 2:51 AM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
In September, local politicians said they would try to have a ‘goat guarantee’ that it would survive its first weekend of the 2016 festive season. A number of high-tech security cameras were bought to try and protect it, yet they were unable to detect the goat burner.
“They only recognize movement within the alarm zone, inside the fencing. Here, someone stood outside and threw a Molotov cocktail,” Wallberg explained.
posted by Wordshore at 2:51 AM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Today's Swedish vocabulary word is “bockbrännare”.
posted by acb at 3:19 AM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by acb at 3:19 AM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
.
posted by talking leaf at 9:21 AM on November 28, 2016
posted by talking leaf at 9:21 AM on November 28, 2016
I don't speak Swedish but I'm guessing that word is "goat burner?"
It always amazes me as to how semi-deliberately(?) terrible the Swedes are at goat security. After all these years you'd think they'd learn where their weaknesses are and start compensating for them, and they still get the goat burned 2/3 of the time.
(And dare I say it, but if this was happening in America we'd have teams of armed security guards with semi-automatic weapons 24-7 and probably drone attacks and definitely flame-proofing the goat.)
posted by jenfullmoon at 12:12 PM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
It always amazes me as to how semi-deliberately(?) terrible the Swedes are at goat security. After all these years you'd think they'd learn where their weaknesses are and start compensating for them, and they still get the goat burned 2/3 of the time.
(And dare I say it, but if this was happening in America we'd have teams of armed security guards with semi-automatic weapons 24-7 and probably drone attacks and definitely flame-proofing the goat.)
posted by jenfullmoon at 12:12 PM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Maybe they should build the goat out of non-flammable materials? Or am I just crazy?
posted by octothorpe at 2:23 PM on November 28, 2016
posted by octothorpe at 2:23 PM on November 28, 2016
What they need to do next year is build the goat, and then immediately set it on fire.
posted by magstheaxe at 2:58 PM on November 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by magstheaxe at 2:58 PM on November 28, 2016 [2 favorites]
Interview a few years ago with the goat chairman. Explains why their security isn't so good and why they won't flame-proof the goat. The reason boils down to "it's not pretty."
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:11 PM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:11 PM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Also, it doesn't seem to work that well, at least one flameproofed goat burned down anyway I believe.
posted by tavella at 3:23 PM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by tavella at 3:23 PM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
They had one encased in ice one year, and it got burned down. Epic.
Anyway, if it weren't for the battle we wouldn't be talking about it. I'd love to go to Gavle one winter just to see the goat (or the burned down husk). It's doing its job of promoting the town far better as a odds-on arson victim far better than if it were just a pretty decoration.
posted by Jilder at 6:48 PM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
Anyway, if it weren't for the battle we wouldn't be talking about it. I'd love to go to Gavle one winter just to see the goat (or the burned down husk). It's doing its job of promoting the town far better as a odds-on arson victim far better than if it were just a pretty decoration.
posted by Jilder at 6:48 PM on November 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm pretty sure they don't want it burned down the same day it gets put up, though.
posted by tavella at 7:27 PM on November 28, 2016
posted by tavella at 7:27 PM on November 28, 2016
Well, you know. Clearly there's some overachievers in Gavle.
posted by Jilder at 9:12 PM on November 28, 2016
posted by Jilder at 9:12 PM on November 28, 2016
I think they should invest in mass producing smaller goats one year just for a change. Yes, some will get burned down or stolen, but for $30k you can build an awful lot of em'.
I imagine they'll find a non-toxic flame retardant that keeps the goat's color eventually though. If they can keep it a secret, then they have several years of no burning while everyone still makes a big deal about it.
I've no idea about the wind situation there, but maybe a denser non-flamable skeleton would let them use much less straw and the goat could be more cheaply rebuilt after burning. In that way, they could have their goat tradition along with the publicity from the burning less expensively.
posted by jeffburdges at 7:33 AM on December 2, 2016
I imagine they'll find a non-toxic flame retardant that keeps the goat's color eventually though. If they can keep it a secret, then they have several years of no burning while everyone still makes a big deal about it.
I've no idea about the wind situation there, but maybe a denser non-flamable skeleton would let them use much less straw and the goat could be more cheaply rebuilt after burning. In that way, they could have their goat tradition along with the publicity from the burning less expensively.
posted by jeffburdges at 7:33 AM on December 2, 2016
I'm surprised they didn't have a backup goat this year? Usually they make two (and then still have both set on fire).
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:33 PM on December 2, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:33 PM on December 2, 2016 [1 favorite]
Maybe they should build the goat out of non-flammable materials? Or am I just crazy?
There's always Molnar's Solution.
posted by sebastienbailard at 10:25 PM on December 2, 2016 [1 favorite]
There's always Molnar's Solution.
“Molnar?”--Metzger's Dog, by Thomas Perry
“That’s the one.”
“The one who was pushing the Exploding President?”
“Exploding President? What the hell are you talking about?” Pines was breathing hard through the corners of his mouth.
“It was before your time,” said Goldschmidt. “Molnar was sponsoring a plan to make a dummy that looked just like the President but filled with two hundred pounds of tritonol and a layer of flechettes.”
“What the hell for?”
“To assassinate assassins. You know, at parades and ceremonies.”
“But that would kill everybody around it for a hundred yards.”
“Right. Well-done hamburger. If we’d gone for that one, we might have gotten the Nuclear President. I guess it’s our loss. Glad to see you’ve found something else for Molnar to do.”
The Director said quietly, “It’s not fair to mark a man for life just for one bad idea. He’s been very helpful on this one.”
posted by sebastienbailard at 10:25 PM on December 2, 2016 [1 favorite]
Good news: a smaller replacement goat was put up by the city so there would be a goat to look at.
Bad news: a car was driven into it a few nights ago.
Can't find any word yet on whether they will be attempting goat #3 for the season.
posted by Wordshore at 12:30 PM on December 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
Bad news: a car was driven into it a few nights ago.
Can't find any word yet on whether they will be attempting goat #3 for the season.
posted by Wordshore at 12:30 PM on December 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
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